Sports

March 18, 2014: Larry Fields Day

Brian Rash

Posted:
03/14/2014 09:00:00 PM CDT

Larry Fields is not one to seek public recognition, and he’ll say that matter-of-factly while he’s being publicly recognized.

There are two recent examples of this: One occurred in January during the Grahammy’s awards ceremony when Fields was named Citizen of the Year. It was just after he announced to the city council that he would be retiring effective April 2. He had no prior knowledge he would receive the honor, and during his speech, his eyes welling up, he acknowledged everyone but himself, including his senior staff, the current and former mayors he has worked for and the city council.

Then, at Thursday’s Graham City Council meeting and again without his knowledge, Mayor Barry White read a sweeping proclamation honoring Fields, and at the end named March 18, 2014 Larry Fields Day in Graham.

Less than three months into 2014, Fields has already had to play it cool through a massive amount of public recognition.

“I was a little embarassed, but certainly anyone would be pleased by that,” Fields said of receiving his own day. “It’s interesting to me when I examine myself. Although I have a very public job, I don’t like recognition. I don’t seek it.”

Fields came to Graham in July 1979, and prior to that, he spent the first 32 years of his life in the Texas panhandle. The venerable city manager said that one of the projects he is most proud of during his career remains squarely focused on water.

Fields was instrumental in bringing the first modern water treatment plant to Graham. It was completed in 1984, and he said that his first major project as Graham’s city manager has now come full circle with the city’s new, massive water project currently underway.

Again not taking credit for what he’s accomplished as city manager, Fields described the remainder of his career in Graham with modesty.